My Views on Social Drinking

I just read the blog of an old professor of mine (I mean old as in "use to be my professor" of course.) The subject turned into the debate over social drinking in the Wesleyan Church. It was just all the same stuff over again, like how the bible only talks about getting drunk and how its' no different than over-eatting. A couple people defended the Wesleyan view of abstaining... but not too well. So I decided to chime in with my response.

*** If you are not a Wesleyan and reading this please understand that I don't personal view drinking as a moral issue but as a Wesleyan I vowed in my membership to the church and in my ordianation to uphold the views and beliefs of the Wesleyan church, one of which is not to drink alcohol. I do believe it is a moral issue to not live up to your word and I have given my word that I would uphold and defend this beliefs. If you are not a Wesleyan... I am not "preaching" to you about drinking... I promise ***

Here's my response:

"Apart from all the other arguments here, I personally choose to remember that I am Wesleyan. Which for me, reminds me that I am following in the legacy, not so much of the "Holiness Movement," but of one of the most effective and productive agents for the furtherment of the Kingdom, the salvation of lost souls and redemption of culture in all of the history. As a Wesleyan I choose to hold membership in this society and I have been ordained by this church... fully accepting their values and beliefs and promising to uphold them. I don't do this blind to the reasons why I believe what I believe though. I know what the bible says and doesn't say and how it doesn't present the issues around social drinking... they just aren't there. But they weren't in Bible in the 1730's and 1740's either when we (the collective past, present and future "we") saw the social and culture ramification of social alcohol and decided that it just isn't worth it so our organization decided not to participate in it. We chose to hold a high bar and high standards... hopefully not to be prideful and look down on others, even though that has happened. We do this because we are joyfully willing to fully commit to the cause of furthering the movement that once changed the world (and might do so again if we would choose to fight for things that really matter). For me, this is a good enough reason not only to not desire to drink, but also to defend this wise tradition. It has served us well in the past, and if we would choose to embrace it and move on to more important things, it will do so again in the future."

(sorry I haven't felt like writing much lately... pray for us if you would)